"You don't write because you want people to understand you, you write because you want to understand yourself." - Orange Book.

Our journey through this lifetime can be a long and winding road if we miss the moments of clarity that lead to understanding all we should be grateful for. The following short story is one of those moments in my human experience.

A couple of weeks ago, Judy and I were on a Zoom call with two friends, both retired law enforcement officers. We discussed being public servants who made it to the goal line in our respective careers—on our terms—and now enjoy our third act in life. One friend asked, "How many people do you know who are still in the workforce, believing they will never retire?" He continued by saying that although we endured many stressful moments during our time in service, we should be grateful for the opportunity to serve, protect, and save lives or, in the case of Judy, the chance to shape lives as an educator.

Later that night, I retired to bed with his words echoing as a preface to my moment of clarity. I recalled three times during my fire service career that word from the Village Hall (or the rumor mill) layoffs were looming. Our contract specified that layoffs would occur in reverse order of seniority, meaning the person with the least time on the job was released first, and so on up the line. I fell asleep thinking about a question my lieutenant asked, "If you get laid off, what will you do?" I rarely dream, but this question sparked a vivid reality.

In my dream, I was living here in North Carolina, not Illinois. Because of budget cuts, the fire department had to release me from duty. In the aftermath, I returned to a private ambulance company, and they re-hired me as a paramedic with a severe pay cut from my FD salary. The operations manager told me a management position was on the horizon, but he could not say when. Still, this would not make up for the loss in salary.

As this dream progressed, I became frantic and told Judy that we might be unable to afford our house or way of life. I did not know what to do next and shrugged my shoulders at my bewildered wife. Mercifully, the dream ended, and I woke to clammy skin and a racing heart. I reoriented to the present day and realized that all was well in my world and that I was gifted a loud and clear message.

I am thankful that I finished a 25-year career with no employee ever having to be laid off, and that streak still holds. Although I experienced turbulent times personally and professionally, I left a whole person. Would I change some things? Yes, but I would not trade this chapter in my life for any other. The reality is that Judy and I are living our best-retired lives because we now get to do what we want: volunteer, travel, and meet new people who enrich our lives.

As humans, we will inevitably encounter trials and tribulations. Take what you need from each experience and leave behind what no longer serves you. Notice the moments of clarity and gratitude that will assist you in moving forward toward your next chapter. I leave you with the following words of wisdom that appeared in my X feed just as I finished writing this post. Until next time -

Namaste,

Tim

"Some days are tough and that is a part of life we need to accept. Yet even when days are tough and dark clouds hover over us, we can still face them with a positive attitude. We can still look for silver linings. We can focus on the good parts (there is always something good), even if on these days we have to look a little harder. Embrace a positive attitude and your problems will be easier to tackle. Wishing everyone a peaceful day. Join me in this affirmation: I have a positive attitude. I will focus on my blessings today." - Melanie Korach.